Wayamba University of Sri Lanka holds 20th AGRES on 13 May

The Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management of the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka holds its annual Agricultural Research Symposium for the 20th time on 13 May 2022 at the Wayamba University, Makandura premises.

Initiated in 2002, the “Agriculture Research Symposium”, known as the “AGRES”, provides a platform for final-year students of the B.Sc. (Hons in Agriculture) to present their timely and valuable research findings to a variety of stakeholders, including academics, scientists, agriculturists, industry representatives and other professionals in the agriculture sector.

While AGRES provides a forum for researchers to debate and share their findings, the organisation of the event significantly contributes to the development of life skills of undergraduates, which is a critical requirement for their professional success. This annual research symposium has now become the most well-known highlight of the FAPM academic calendar.

This year, the event will be graced by Counsellor Kawakami Takayuki, representing the Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka as the Chief Guest and Bio Foods Ltd. Chairman Dr. Sarath Ranaweera as the Keynote Speaker.

The Wayamba University of Sri Lanka was established as the 13th national university on 01 October 1999. Initially, it was founded as an Affiliated University College in the North Western Province in 1991, and later in 1996, it was entitled as the “Wayamba Mandapa” of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka.

The establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management (FAPM), which was originally a part of the Wayamba Campus, previously named the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences happened on the same day in 1999, on a land of 25 acres at the former Department of Agriculture’s In-Service Training Institute at Makandura.

Since then, FAPM has attempted to achieve excellence in agricultural education, research, technology, and training for developing human resources to meet regional, national, and global needs. With an agriculture-based economy, nearly 60% of the Sri Lankan population is directly or indirectly engaged in agriculture-based activities.

In order to satisfy the rising concerns on food security and sovereignty, the FAPM contributes by producing innovative, skilled, and trained manpower with capabilities in agriculture to fulfil national and global needs, through undergraduate and postgraduate education, research, and outreach programs.

FAPM offers two leading four-year internal degree programs, namely; B.Sc. (Hons in Agriculture) and Bachelor of Bio systems Technology (Hons). In addition, the B.Sc. (Plantation Management) degree is offered by the faculty as an external degree program, for enthusiastic professionals involved in the agriculture and plantation sector. Master of Agri-Enterprise and Technology Management (M. AETM) degree, MPhil. and Doctoral degree programs are also offered by the faculty.

Apart from degrees, two diploma programs, namely Diploma in Agriculture and Plantation Management and Diploma in Food Business and Marketing provide a variety of learning opportunities to students and professionals in Sri Lanka.

Students of the B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture degree programs are provided with eight specialty fields available across five Departments of the Faculty, namely Department of Agribusiness Management, Department of Biotechnology, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening, Department of Plantation Management and Department of Biosystems engineering. Multidisciplinary research and innovations that provide apparent solutions for the development of the economy are expected to be discussed at the symposium. Research findings of 150 undergraduate students conducted across a variety of themes, including precision agriculture, agricultural economics, biotechnology, horticulture and landscape gardening and plantation management will be presented at this forum.

The 20th AGRES remains a unique knowledge sharing platform in Sri Lanka, since it is the only symposium that disseminates undergraduate research findings as full research publications.

This event will be organised by the agricultural undergraduates of FAPM led by Chenul Edirsinghe under the direct guidance of FAPM Dean Prof. Jagath Edirisinghe and the organising Committee; Dr. Menuka Udugama (Coordinator), Dr. Wishwajith Kandegama, Dr. Geethi Pamunuwa, Dr. Shashika Guruge, Dr. Surantha Salgadoe and Dr. Lahiru Udayanga with the unwavering support of all academic and non-academic staff members of the faculty.

All interested participants are welcome to join this important event to share their experience and knowledge regarding novel research findings of the agriculture sector.